Thermally-controlled releasing mechanism for fire-doors and the like.



` y E. A. Lowe. l THE'RMALLJI ONTRL'LED HELASING MECHANISM FOR FlRE DOORS AND THE L-iKE.

'Patented me. 10, 1916.

APPLICATION FILED HAY .2. {gls sains-sain 1.

am '1 Q llx l fyi/ jf :N1/Enron l Elf Y.r v.

l l ATTORNEYS E. LOWE.

THERMALLVY'CONRULLED RELEASING MECHANISM FOR FIRE DOORS AND THE LIKE.

APFLECATIION FILED MAY l2. I9l5. I .l

Y Patented' Dec.y l2, 19h).

3 SvHEETS--SHEET 21 alf - -AITQRNEX5- E. A. LOWE. n THERMALLY CONTROLLED RELFASING4 NIECHANISM FOR FIRE DOORS AND THE LIKE.

APPLlcATxUN man MAY12. |'915. l

Patented Dea. 12.12B@

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Tye.

Serial Noi 774,101.

- "entren srrerns resistir cerros.

A ERNEST A. LOWE, 0F PLAINFIELD, NEWT JERSEY.

THERMLLY-CONTBOLLED RELEAEING MECHANISM FOR FRE-DOQRS MID THE Speccation ofILetters Estant.

rate'nteenee. is, loic,.-

Original application led Jene 17, 1918, Serial N o. 774,101. .'Divided and this application filed May 12, 15,15.

Serial No. 27,485.

( ontro-lled Releasing Mechanism for Fireoors and the like, of which the following is u specifica-tion.

My invention relates to thermally controlled releesing mechanism for tire' doors und the like und is on improvement upon the vapparatus for .the saine general purpose which is shown and described in myprior application for patent filed June 17th 1913,

r)lie object of my present invention is to secure greater strength and simplicity in the apparatus While :1t thcs'iiiie time adding to the sensitiveness thereof in responding to any abnormal rate of rise of temperature requiring the fire door or the like to be opened Aor closed, l

Owing'to the weight of fire doors and the size of the mechanism by which. their opere,` tion is necessarily governed the practice has been, prior 4to my original invention, 4to employ a fusible 'link interposed in the connection of the cord that normally Asustains 'e .counter-.weight opposing the Weight which tends'to close the door, but in' some cases, in pince of the fusible link, it has been proposed to employ a' detent or releasing meehnnisni, ai thermostat, an electro-magnet land bettery, the thermostat rioting to' close the circuit of the battery end release the mech .nnisni' when n certain absolute temperature has-been reached and irrespective oit the ret-e of rise of temperature, the action "of the thermostat in the combination being then to cell into notion the force of Ve battery sind nnignet to operate the detent releasing mec nnisrn;

rEhe nini of my original invention, as well as ci? theiinprovement thereon, is to overcome the.ob3ections lncident to the previ;

ously employed apparatus by making the operation of the door depend upon the .rete

otrisc of temperature instead et upon the.

tittaininent'o en vabsolute temperature Without regard to the rate of riseand zitthe same timeto bring,` about the laction ofthe release mechanism by the torce of expansion due to fliet insteadoi using said fome of experi sion to bring into action a. battery sind mag* net; and to likewise produce e device which shall be more sensitive in its operation or action than cnn possibly loe thec'ase .when e fusible link is employedthatordinairily requires to be snbjeotedtothe direct action of the vHaine.

In my 'original applicationbetore referred to I have described an apparatus constructed specially with reference to the use of a therf inostut operating on the p'xii'noiple of s. determinate rate of rise or' teinpereture for bringing about the opening or closing o the door, and the rate of rise thermostatde scribed is one' in Which ziJ confined bod lof nir iseniployed and the rate 'of rise et w ich the device shall respond Ato edectthe clos# ing of the door is determined by the rete at which nir, whenexpanded by the heat,rney be allowed to escape from 4its inolosure. The force of expansion of thel air is used as e force for directly infecting or operating:thev

latch or catch for the releasing mechanism mechanically instead 'of through the intervention of n'battery and magnet andthe dev icewill not become effective unless the rate of expansion of .the air a-nd' oonsequentme` chimica-l force exerted thereby exceeds the rute of co-n'ipenszition due to the escape ofthe expanding air through e minute or restricted pussage-Wey.

' lniny original applicationdescribe the use of n release mechanism .having e 'master shaft Aend a springwliich is wound up bythe master shaft and is used by ineens' of' a pswl connected tothe masteishaft.to actuete a. clock-wcrlc tra-1n having the usuel clockwork esoiipement and a releasing detent operated by the thermostat;

To secure eA lmore sensitive and positive control of the meehanisnifor eiecting the release of the door than'is. possible by the mechanism 'set forth in my originel applicatioir is the special object'of my present 1n- 'ention and for the purpose ofi-risking my present invention clear l have' shown'in the accompanying' drawings an apparatus similer in construction :to that shown in 'my original application, excepting as respects the use 'of the before-mentioned clock trein..l

,ln thegdrawings: Figure i Ais n front elevs tion of theapparatus Witha' portion of the casing removed. `Fig. 2 is en inverted plm of 'aportion ofthe apparatus a part being shown vin horizontal section on the line a-a Fig. G. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the apparatus, the casing or Working mechw anism being shown in section. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the detent mechanism detached from the other )arts Fig. shows in detail a. part of the etcnt devices.' Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line b- Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line c--c Fig. 3.

1 is any suitable framework for supporting the shafts and other mechanism herein described, all inclosed in a suitable casing 1 exterior to which may be located the thermostat constructed on the principle before referred to and modified somewhat in form from that described in my original'application. No claim is herein made to this type of thermostat per se inasmuch as-the same forms the subject of` claims in my original application and will bc made the subject of a divisional patent.

2 indicates what may be, for convenience, described as the primary release 'arm of the apparatus inasmuch as this is the arm which,

in the preferred manner of application of my device to releasing fire doors, is in the form of a hook adapted to receive the knot ted end of a cord sustaining a counterweight, the construction being such that when the shaft 2' carrying said arm 2 is released, the Asaid arm may turn and allow the cord to slip from the hook thereby throwing the countervveight out of action and permittin g the door to close by its own weight.

3 is a detent arm projecting from the shaft 2 mounted preferably as a rock shaft and f1 is a. detaining shoulder or catch for arm 3.

6 is a secondary detent arm provided with the shoulder or catch 1 and mounted t turn freely or independently of the shaft 5, which is the re-setting shaft and for that purpose is provided with the operating handle 5 .and an arm 30 carrying slotted link 25 and hook or projection 27, as will be presently de-' scribed. Upon the datent arm 6 is the pin 31 adapted to be engaged by the re-setting arm 30.

The shaft 8 adapted to rock in suitable bearings is the main or master shaft of the apparatus which in my prior application is normally under the bias of a coiled spring tending to turn the shaft so as to release the arm 6 and acting also, through a pawl carried by the shaft7 upon the train of clock work. The detent 7 is formed in a manner described in my prior application. by simply milling the end of the shaft so that when the shaft turns from the position shown in Fig. 5 the arm 6 will be released. The pri mary release arm and detent therefor together with the secondary detent and master shaft are practically constructed and combined as shown in my prior application.

9 is a Weighted arm of the rook shaft 8 and 10 the weight therefor giving the shaft a bias tending to' turn it in a dlrection to release the secondary detcnt arm 6.

11 ,is a detent arm projecting from the master shaft and carrying a pivoted latch or catch 19 normally engaged with a detent 13.

1.5 is a secondar detcnt arm for the master shaft carried by the shaft 14, while 1U is a spring actin-g on the shaft 14 in a manner to restore it to normal position after the automatic action of the apparatus. Thesccondary detent arm 15 is normally detained by a pivoted detcnt lever or catch 17 having a toe or dog 18 with which the secondary detent arm 15 directly engages und by which it is normally locked from turning.

As will be seen, the dog-carryingr lever or catch 17 is so pivoted or arranged with relation to the detent arm 15 and its shaft that the arm 15 is ell'ectually locked and exerts no tendency to turn the catch 17 and release itself. As will also be seen, the members of the detaining devices directly associated with the rock shaft and forming the first element of the train of detent mechanisms by which the shaft is held against move ment under the bias given to it by the weight are so formed and engaged that the detaininrar member 14 thereof tends to move or has av bias under the influence of the detained member 13 i'n a direction such' that if it is freed and allowed to move it will release the engaging member and thus bring about the release of the shaft by which the detained member is carried. .This self-releasing tendency of the detent de'ficcs due to the bias given to the detaining element isvhoivever efi'cctually resisted or controlled by means of the secondary detent arm 15 which is locked bythe doi;r 18 lying normally over the secondary detent arm 15. The same self-re leasing tendency due to the action of the detained member upon the detaining member and due to the form of the members and the disposition of the shafts carrying them also exists in the case of the detent devices for the shaft 2 and shaft 5, as will be readily seen by reference to Figsud and 5. A suitable spring applied as shown more fully in Fig. Qrserves, however, to move the lever or catch 17 in a manner to carry the dog'or toe 18 away from the positionof engagement by the secondary detent arm 15.l The said catch or lever 17, however, is locked or restrained from turning by suitable means whichbeing thermally actuated on change of temperature, will release said catch in any suitable manner as for instance by the devices to be now describedv 11) is a' thermally actuated latch or releasingdevice normally restraining the detent lever or catch 17 from turning to free the detent arm 17. The latch or catch 19 suitably mounted on the frame of the apparatus,

as shown, is mechanically actuated by the 13b shaft, a, pi'voted latch 0r catch sustained thereby, a shaft provided ivith a lock for said latch and having a secondary detent arm, a detent lever having,r a dog normally engaged by the secondary dctent ariii and a hitch for the dog-carrying lever operatively connected with means responsive to abnornnil rate of rise of temperature.

il. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with the master rock shaft and means controlled thereby for normally holding a priniaiy release arni ont lof action: of meansresponsive' to an abnormal rate of rise. of temperature, a weight tending to tom said master shaft in a direction to free the priiiiaiy release arm and an independent train of detente normally holding the master shaft from tin-ning and opcratively connected with the devices responsive toabnormal rate. of risc of temperature and actuated by the latter through the direct force of air when expanded by the heat of said abnormal rate of rise.

l. 1n an apparatus of the character dcscribed, the combination of a weighted inastcr rock shaft having .i deli-.nt arm project ing rom said shaft, a detent shalt provided ivith a detent normally holding ihe deteiit arm and master shaft from turning, a secondary 'detent arm, u ivoted dog-carry ing lever or latch normal y restraining said secondary detent arm. a catch for holdingr the dog in position to normallyl lock the secondary detent arm, a diaphragm operative-ly connected with the catch and seri-'ing to free the secondary arm from the dog and a connection from the diaphragm chamber to an air chamber having a vent adapted to alloiv air to escape at a predetermined rate. to render the device responsive. only when the temperature of the air rises at a predetermined rate as and for the purpose described.

In an apparatus of the character described. the combination of a weighted master rock shaft and detent devicesthereforv comprising a detained member carried by said roel: shaft and a detainingxrember en gaged thereby and having a bias iinder the influence of the weighted rock shaft tendingr to move it in a direction to release said shaft, a Secondary dctent arniconnected to said detaining member, a catchlocking said arm against movement so as to hold the detent devices for the rock shaft in check, means responsive to change of temperature for freeing the secondary arm from the locking action of said catch and means for turning the master shaft hack to normal position and restoring said catch to position for locking the secondary detent arm prior to the restoration of the detained member of the rock shaft detcnt devices to position for engaging with its detainng member.

. ln an apparatus o-f't-he character de- 'shaftagainst turning and comprising scribed, the combination of the weighted master rock shaft, mechanism released by the motion of said shaft under the influence of ils weight ivlicn said shaft is permitted lo turn, detent devices normally holding said shaft against turning 'and comprising a detained member connected to the rock shaft and a detaining member engaged thereby and having a self-releasingl tendency diie to the action of the weight ex* crted on thc detaining member through the detained menilwr, a secondary detent arm holding said self-releasing tendency in check and a thermally controlled latch or catch having a toe or dog engaged by and locking the secondary detent arm.

7, In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of the biased master rock shaft, mechanism released by the motion of said shaft onder the influence of its iveight when said shaft is permitted to tiirn, detent devices normally holding said a detained member connected to the roc shaftand a detainn'g member engaged thereby and havingr a self-releasing tendency diie to the action ofthe weight exerted on the detainingl member through the detained member, a Secondary dbtcnt arm and catch lock ing said arm whereby the self-releasing tendA ency is held in check, a spring actingon said catch and tending to withdraw the toe or dogr from locking position and a latch or catch normally holding the first-named,

latch or catch in' locking position and itself mechanically actuated by the force of cxpansion of confined air on risc of atmospheric temperature.

Syln an apparat-iis of the character described` the combination substantially-as described of a. weighted main or master rock shaft carrying a datent and mechanism normally restrained thereby but freed by the action of the detent on said shaft when the shaft is permitted to tiirn, independent detent devices normally holdin the shaft from turning iinder the bias given thereto by said weight, a secondary detent arm holding said independent detent devices in normally engaged position, a dogr for locking the secondary detent ami and a resetting device. actingas described toi-estore the dog to position to lock the secondary detent arm and 'then tiirn the master shaft intoposition to canse said detent devices therefor to become engaged.

9. In an apparatus of the character de? 1305,17? A. v l Q datent member mounted on said armvand u detaining member engaged thereby' andhfwing abiaslimparted to it in fr direction toefiuse it to release the detained menuberr4v second- I ary datent arm, a latch normally restraining said Secondary debent arm and meanfsre- ,sponsive to a change of temperature at a predetermined rate for.controlling the .actien of the latch whereby the shaft may be released and in turn may free the `normally 10 

